


sometimes by step

by blackandwhiteandrose



Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Anxious David Rose, Canon Compliant, David does some overthinking, Fluff-Adjacent, M/M, first kiss reflections, morning after Grad Night, s4 ep1, second kiss panic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-16 18:07:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29086590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackandwhiteandrose/pseuds/blackandwhiteandrose
Summary: David does some (over)thinking on his walk to Rose Apothecary on the morning after his first kiss with Patrick.
Relationships: Patrick Brewer/David Rose
Comments: 37
Kudos: 188





	sometimes by step

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt fill for Houdini74: _on his way to RA the morning after first kissing Patrick, David stresses about whether or not he should kiss him hello._
> 
> (No beta. I just went for it. Pardon any errors, please! Leaving the extra spaces between lines was totally a stylistic choice for the way this was written.)
> 
> title from R. Mullins 
> 
> *

David thinks he’s got about 60 steps left to figure it out. 

59… 58…

He doesn’t know what the morning after looks like, when there wasn’t a debaucherous night before. He knows how to do a walk of shame- aloof and often regretful as he walked away from another nameless encounter. But now, walking _toward_ something for the first time, he finds himself faltering.

57…. 56…

There’s been a thousand kisses - with nearly as many people - before the one last night, each a part of a carefully crafted seduction, a means to an end. And it always ended. But kissing Patrick, that was … that felt like… the beginning. The start of something _good_. He can’t help the little shimmy-shake that runs through his body, just remembering the all-too-short time that Patrick’s lips were pressed against his.

55… 54…

_“So you and Patrick are sitting in his car last night and you just leaned in and kissed him.”_

_“And he wanted that?”_

_“Like, he told you that he wanted that?"_

He hates the way Alexis’ words bounce around in his head, echoing off the darker corners of his mind.

_“....you just french your business partner literally the second he peeks his head out of the closet.”_

_“All I know is that Patrick is a sweet little button face, David, so don’t mess this up.”_

53.... 52...

He wonders if he can do that. Can he try … whatever this is… and not somehow self-destruct? Should he even give himself the chance to see what could happen? Patrick is everything he’s not and he knows it. Patrick is nice, for fuck’s sake. He’s one of those people that even someone who is barely acquainted with would describe as “a great guy". He’s thoughtful and generous with his time. And… _why_ the hell is he interested in David?

51… 50… 

He feels his heart floundering around in his chest, like it’s at war with itself, torn between fight and flight. Does he save Patrick from himself and insist it’s better for the business if they just keep it professional? Or does he just... walk in and kiss him hello and see what happens?

49… 48…

_“This is the healthiest first day of a relationship I’ve ever had.”_

Could he call it a relationship? Even if they were just friends… that’s still a relationship. But this is different. It’s been different from the beginning. The teasing that was really flirting and eye contact that lingered far too long to be accidental and so many shy smiles and tucked away grins… that was a relationship. Maybe even a … _romantic_ one. 

47… 46…

David stumbles, arms flailing to catch his balance as he realizes he’s somehow managed to cultivate exactly the kind of … situation he’d dreamed about but never thought he’d have. Patrick is his friend and now there are benefits. Could be benefits. There was definitely a kiss and he’s like to have another. And then about a million more after that.

45… 44…

He can’t help but think about the expanse of Patrick’s shoulders and the curve of his ass and _fuck_ , how good he must look naked. Nope. Not yet. There was one kiss. One hand wrapped around the back of his head to pull him close. No tongue, no teasing bites. Gentle. Sweet. A first kiss with someone new. Patrick’s first kiss with a guy.

43… 42…

He doesn’t think he’s been anyone’s first anything before. _Oh god._ What if Patrick regrets it? He’d caught the incredulous look on Patrick’s face when they’d settled back into their own seats. He’d seemed pleased. But that was last night, in the dark. And things always seem to look different in the light of the next day.

41… 40…

He looks up toward the store, even closer that he realized. He takes a deep breath against the panic spiral that’s starting to swirl in his stomach. He’ll just ask. It’s fine. They can talk about it. They’re adults. They’re grown men who can talk about their feelings. If Patrick thinks it was a mistake, okay. They’ll never mention it again. They go back to the way things were.

39…. 38….

He knows he can’t do that. He _kissed_ Patrick last night. He knows what his lips taste like now. He wants more. He wants the tentative press that becomes insistent, the first graze of tongue over lip, and the slide of tongue against tongue. 

37… 36…

He shudders, becoming aware of just how much space Patrick already occupies in his thoughts. How easy it would be to get carried away. 

35… 34…

The closer he gets, the heavier his heart beats. He’s going to walk in the door and Patrick will be there. He can feel the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth already, at just the idea of him.

33… 32....

Does he go in for a kiss? Or a hug? Does he wait for Patrick to make the first move?

31...30…29...28...

He’s walking faster, like his body is propelling him toward the store and he’s not in control anymore. It’s been a weird morning and he knows being in proximity to Patrick will set everything right.

27… 26…25...24...

He’s going to kiss him. Right? Yes. Yes, he is. 

23…. 22…21...20...

Unless Patrick seems hesitant. Then definitely not.

19...18…17...16...

He looks both ways before crossing the street. It would be just his luck to step in front of the _one_ car that will drive down this road this morning.

15...14…13...12....

As he steps alongside the corner of Rose Apothecary, he realizes something, sudden and intense.

He _wants_ this. He wants Patrick. He’s never wanted anything like the chance to maybe be a part of a couple, to be _someone’s person_ , like he does right now. Of course, he wants to kiss Patrick, but he also wants to _be_ with Patrick. And not just at night. Not just those kind of get-you-where-I-want-you kisses. He wants the first-thing-in-the-morning-just-got-to-work kisses.

11… 10… 9… 8…7..

He steps up onto the stoop and takes another deep breath, pausing just before he reaches the door.

6… 5… 4...

David opens it and steps inside, seeing Patrick already at work. Patrick smiles as David takes off his sunglasses.

“Hi…”

“Hey…”

3… 2...1…

The distance between them closes as Patrick walks toward him, laughing nervously, like he's unsure about how this goes, too.

David leans in to kiss his cheek. 

  
  



End file.
